The holidays are a time for family, friends, and cherished traditions. For many, the annual trip to a Christmas tree farm to select the perfect tree is an essential ritual. There’s an unmistakable magic in venturing out into the crisp winter air, surrounded by the fresh, invigorating scent of pine, to find the centerpiece for your home’s seasonal decor.
Whether your family tradition involves the rugged, rewarding experience of choosing and cutting your own tree or finding the ideal freshly harvested, pre-cut beauty, our guide is here to help you connect with the wonderful local Christmas tree farms in McHenry County.
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Important Opening Season Note
One very important thing to note is that, unlike pop-up tree lots and other retailers, local family-owned tree farms often open up around or shortly after Thanksgiving and may only be open for a few weeks or weekends.
Always check the specific farm’s website or call ahead for their current dates, hours, and tree availability!
The Magic of the Local Tree Farm Experience
Hunting for your Christmas tree at a local farm is more than just a purchase—it’s an experience filled with benefits:
- Unbeatable Freshness & Quality: You can be sure you’re getting the freshest, highest-quality tree possible. Tree farms are dedicated to growing and nurturing the best trees, resulting in a more vibrant color and that classic, potent pine scent.
- Support Local, Think Green: Buying from a local farm is a great way to support family-owned businesses in your community. Furthermore, real Christmas trees are a sustainable, renewable resource. They absorb carbon dioxide as they grow, stabilize soil, and are 100% biodegradable, making them an environmentally conscious choice over most artificial trees.
- Create Lasting Memories: Visiting a tree farm is inherently fun and festive! Many McHenry County farms offer additional holiday activities, such as hayrides, gift shops, photo vignettes, or hot cocoa, transforming the search into a treasured memory for your family to cherish for years to come.
Before You Head Out
Regardless of whether you want to cut your own Christmas tree or prefer to buy a pre-cut tree, there are a few things to figure out, especially if this is your first real Christmas tree.
Like most things, you have choices to make when it comes to real Christmas trees. And like most things, there is often a trade-off between quality and cost, as well as features. Many of the tree farms include information on their websites about the types of fresh trees they have and their pros and cons.
Don’t look for the “best” tree, look for one that is “best for you.” What follows is just a sampling to help get you started.
Type: Fraser Fir
Description: A top-seller known for its dark blue-green color, soft needles, and classic pyramid shape. The branches curve upward.
Pros: Excellent needle retention. Strong, upturned branches support heavy ornaments. Pleasant, strong scent.
Cons: Often the most expensive option due to high demand and, in some cases, shipping costs if brought in from out of state.
Type: Balsam Fir
Description: Very popular for its classic Christmas scent and symmetrical, full shape. Needles are short, flat, and dark green with silvery undersides.
Pros: Superb, classic Christmas fragrance (often considered the best). Very good needle retention. Good branch strength.
Cons: Can have slightly poorer needle retention than Fraser Fir if allowed to dry out.
Type: Canaan Fir
Description: This variety is increasingly popular because it is a hybrid of the Balsam Fir that can better tolerate the common soil and climate conditions of the Midwest.
Pros: Good needle retention, generally better than a standard Balsam Fir. Moderately stiff and layered branches for supporting heavy ornaments.
Cons: Needle retention isn’t as good as Fraser Fir.
Type: Scotch Pine
Description: An old-time favorite in the Midwest, known for its stiff, dark green needles (often 1-3 inches long) and a slightly more “open” or bushy appearance.
Pros: Excellent needle retention—holds needles longest of any pine, even when dry. Strong, stiff branches hold heavy ornaments. Often a budget-friendly choice.
Cons: Needles can be sharp or prickly to the touch. Less fragrance than the firs.
Type: Douglas-Fir
Description: One of the most common species in the U.S. It has soft, medium to dark green needles that are 1 to 1.5 inches long and a pleasant, sweet aroma.
Pros: Very good needle retention and a strong, rich, sweet fragrance. Good conical shape. Soft needles are nice to handle.
Cons: Branches are generally not as strong as firs and may struggle with very heavy ornaments.
Type: White Pine
Description: Distinguished by its soft, blue-green needles that are 2-5 inches long and grow in clusters of five, giving it a very feathery look.
Pros: Good to excellent needle retention. Very little aroma, making it a great choice for those with strong scent or pine allergies.
Cons: Poor branch strength; the flexible branches cannot hold heavy ornaments. Soft appearance may not suit everyone.
Type: Concolor Fir (White Fir)
Description: Flat, blue-green needles up to 1.5 inches long. It has a pleasing natural shape.
Pros: Wonderful, strong citrus scent (like an orange or grapefruit). Excellent needle retention. Good natural shape.
Cons: Branches are somewhat loosely spaced, which shows off ornaments well but may look less dense than other firs.
Type: Colorado Blue Spruce
Description: Known for its attractive, symmetrical form and distinct blue to blue-green foliage. Needles are stiff and sharp.
Pros: Excellent natural shape and attractive, unique color. Very strong branches for heavy decorations.
Cons: Needle retention is generally poor in warm indoor conditions; must be set up later in the season (after Dec. 1st) and kept well-watered. Needles are very prickly.
Ultimately, it may come down to what is available, so create a priority list of 2-3 tree types, and write them down to avoid hassles trying to remember or arguing about it later.
First, think about where you want to place your Christmas tree.
Avoid sources of heat…so away from the fireplace, away from a sunny window if possible, and at least consider shutting off or covering nearby heat vents.
As you will need to keep it watered, make sure the tree stand or auto-waterer is easily accessible.
Get out the tape measure and record the available height, as well as the distance on the remaining open sides. Once you have the maximum distances, you can start to scale those numbers back…the tree stand will raise up the bottom, you’ll need room to spare at the top for the tree topper, and room around the sides/back for ornaments and “breathing” space.
It’s not a requirement, but you may want to get your tree stand before you bring your new tree home.
Make sure that your tree stand can support the size and weight of the tree you intend to purchase. But bigger isn’t necessarily better if the trunk support screws won’t close down enough to secure the tree (I’ve used some scrap wood to shim it up before).
Make sure that the stand has a large enough water reservoir, between a quart at least, if not a gallon.
For your first real Christmas tree, you might want to start with a sturdy plastic stand. Once you are sure you like having real trees and have a general idea of the size you like, then you can upgrade to a more durable and/or decorative stand.
Real trees require real upkeep, primarily in the way of watering. In fact, a good estimate is about a quart of water per inch of stem diameter per day. Especially at the beginning, your tree may require a gallon of water a day.
So, in addition to a good stand with a sizable reservoir, you might want to look into some of the automatic watering systems, or even make your own DIY version. This isn’t a set it and forget, though.
Tree stands can break over time or get overfilled. A little insurance here goes a long way. Invest in a protective tree pad. Even an inexpensive, disposable one will help absorb excess water. These feature a water barrier to protect your floor.
When it comes to real Christmas trees, it’s always good to have your exit strategy sorted beforehand. These large tree disposal bags are priceless, especially if you have a tree that dries out early and starts shedding needles at the slightest movement.
Personal Tip: I cut a hole in the middle of the bag, open and roll it up like a sock, and then center it over the tree stand before placing the tree in the stand. The tree skirt (see below) hides it from view.
When it’s time to take the tree down, after removing lights and ornaments, we pull the bag up from the bottom to the top of the tree, and then tie it shut. I usually cover the wet trunk with a plastic bag to avoid dripping water on the floor. Once you get the tree to the curb, be sure to remove the plastic bags and dispose of them separately.
You don’t have to have your tree skirt beforehand, but it doesn’t hurt. But do consider whether you want to use a nice decorative or family heirloom tree skirt, or want to buy something else. Your tree skirt may get wet and will certainly, over the years, at least, get some tree sap on it.
See, this is part of the adventure!
Make your list of what you’ll need at the tree farm. If you are cutting your own, do you have a tree saw, or does the tree farm provide one? If you are bringing one, check what they recommend or even allow (chainsaws are generally not allowed).
Will the tree farm bag it, or do you want to bring a tarp, something to wrap it with, or transport it bare? Do you want to lay a barrier between the tree and the roof of your vehicle? Do you have twine to tie it, or does the tree farm provide it? Figure all this out before you head out!
You can do this after, but it is highly recommended to get everything ready before you head out.
Remember, a real Christmas tree, especially a very large or tall one, is considerably heavier than an artificial tree.
You want to make sure that you have your protective tree pad, tree stand, tree disposal bag (if you followed my tip), and watering system, if you are using one, ready and in place before you try standing up the tree.
Depending on your stand and floor, you might be able to carefully move it a little once it is up, or it might have to stay where it is. Hopefully, you can plan to move it since it may be a little easier to string lights if you can walk around all sides.
Don’t miss more tips below about what to do after you have your tree!
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Tree Time Tips
The magic moment has arrived! Once again, before you head to the farm, here are some tips to help you along the way.
If you are the type that likes to have your Christmas tree up right after Thanksgiving, then you must choose the type of tree carefully. Once a real tree has been cut down, the clock starts counting down.
Some tree species might last longer, and some may hold their needles longer, but in general, you are looking at a 2-4 week window, and as you may want to keep your tree up through the new year, later may be better…but of course, don’t wait too long or all the good trees may be gone!
Chances are, this will take longer than you expect, especially if you are cutting your own tree. Dress appropriately, in layers, and don’t forget that the tree farm may be more open to the elements and colder than where your home is located.
Instead of your nice leather gloves, bring some leather work gloves that you don’t mind getting tree sap on. Likewise, consider the coat and clothes you wear.
Take your time. Make this part of the experience. You may not want to go for the first tree you see. Enjoy a hot cider or cocoa and stroll around. Is there a hayride, a gift shop, or a chance for the kids to see Santa?
Firmly tug some of the needles…do they hold firm or fall off? If it is a pre-cut tree, pick it up and tap it against the ground a little…do needles hold, a few fall off, or do they rain down around you? Does it look green and healthy, or yellow and brown in spots?
If you opt to cut your own Christmas tree, try cutting it as low to the ground as you can. This helps with continued tree growth at the tree farm.
This will be the thickest part of the trunk for securing in your tree stand. There also may be fewer branches to remove, leaving you with more tree to enjoy.
If you have someone helping, have them grab the tree partway up to help hold it steady and pull it a little away from the side you are cutting. This will help keep the tree from pinching the saw blade, making it harder to cut.
Remember, this tree has been outside in the elements…and possibly, until just recently, the cozy home of bugs, birds, or other critters. Give it a good shake before moving it, as well as before bringing it into your house. This will also help knock off any loose needles that were going to fall off inside.
Don’t cut and run! A little patience pays off.
If the tree farm offers assistance, whether with a tree shaker, bagging, making a fresh cut (maybe hold off on a fresh cut unless you don’t have your own saw and/or are able to get the tree up soon after), and tying it to your vehicle…take them up on it.
And a tip is always appreciated.
If you haven’t done a fresh cut yet, then right before you bring it inside and stand it up is ideal. Confirm the trunk size will fit your stand and remove any lower branches that absolutely must be removed.
Have your water ready, which can just be tap water. Opinions vary, but you might want to try hot water initially, which may help liquefy sap at the base. Use cool water after that, though.
Make a clean, flat cut, at least 1/2″-1″ from the bottom.
Get help standing the tree up and add water. If you are using a watering system, be sure to add water in stages so you can gauge when to stop, or risk overflow.
Not you, the tree. You need to start checking the light strings! We actually like to let the tree acclimate to the indoor temperature overnight. This tends to give the branches a chance to relax and “unfold.”
So this is actually a good time to test the lights and start getting ornaments ready.
Whether you cut your own or purchase a pre-cut Christmas tree, be sure to sit down with your beverage of choice once you are all done trimming the tree and just take in its beauty, accepting flaws and all.
And know that you’ll never have the same tree twice!
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I hope this guide is useful to you, especially if real Christmas trees are a new experience for you. Good luck in your hunt for the “perfect” tree. Embrace the uniqueness and imperfection of real trees, and you’ll see Christmas trees in a new light.
Lifer:
Brian R. Brown
President and Founder of Identity Developments, LLC, the parent company of the McHenry Life website. My hope for McHenry Life is to create a resource and destination for the residents and businesses of McHenry County alike. A place where residents can discover new places to explore, fun events and ways to spend time, and then share those experiences with others. A place where businesses can connect with existing and potential customers, and not simply market their businesses, but share their own unique stories.
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